Turret-lathe.



NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD K. LE BLOND AND I/VILLIAM F. GROENE, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

TURRET-LATHE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1905.

Application led June 15| 1904. Serial No. 212,662.

T0 LZ/ whom, it may concern.:

Be it known that we, RICHARD K. LE BLOND and IVILLIAM F. GROENE,citizens of the United States, residing at Cincinnati. in the county ofHamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Turret- Lathes, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to metal-workinglathes, and more particularly to that class of lathes wherein arotatable turret is mounted on a carriage which is itself movablelongitudinally of the machine bed or frame. In such form of lathes it isdesirable that the turret be movable transversely of the carriage uponwhich it is mounted to properly position the turret with respect to thework and when so positioned that it be held rigidly and withoutliability of any backward tip or deiiection due to strain against itduring operation and that it be further locked against rotativemovement. In the operation of devices of this character there is alwayspresent a strain or force acting at a point considerably above thecarriage and tending to tilt or deflect the upper end of the turret andunder some conditions to turn the turret upon its vertical axis. Suchobjectionable movement would take place if there is any play between theturret and the spindle upon which it is rotatably mounted. Should eitherof these movements take place even to a small degree, imperfection ofthe work or injury to the tool is liable. The importance, therefore, ofproviding means which will eifectually obviate such objectionabledeflection or tilt of the turret becomes obvious; and with this in viewthe objects of the present invention are to provide such stable andrigid connections between the turret and its carrying instrumentalitiesthat while they will permit ready adjustability of the turrettransversely and rotatively with respect to such instrumentalities theywill effectually distribute the tilting or deilecting strains in suchmanner as to entirely obviate the objections pointed out.

Iith the above objects in view the invention, generally stated, consistsof means for so connecting the turret to the carriage that thedeflecting strains shall be distributed over a wide base having a pluralnumber of independent and separate connections with the carriagetransversely thereof, so that a plural number of resisting leveragesagainst such strains will be furnished at the most advantageous pointsand .in the most effective directions to counteract the deflecting ortilting strains, while yet permitting transverse adjustment of theturret on the carriage, and to provide an effective lock and rotativemounting for the turret that will prevent any lost motion between theparts.

The invention also consists of the parts and combination to behereinafter more fully described, and d efinitely pointed out in theclaims.

In the drawings, Figure l represents a side elevation of sufficient ofthe carriage and the turret connection therewith to illustrate one formof the present invention. Fig. 2 isa section of Fig. 1 on the line 2 2.Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4is a detailed plan view of a part of the bottom slide with theturret-block removed, showing the locking-plunger and its mounting. Fig.5 is a detail side elevation of the locking-plunger.

Referring to the drawings, A represents any desirable form of carriagemounted, as usual, upon the bed or machine frame for longitudinaladjustment or movement, and being well understood by those skilled inthe art further description or illustration is unnecessary.

Mounted upon the carriage A and transversely movable thereof is theturret, cornprising the bottom slide B, the turret-block C, and itsadjunctive parts, the front of the turret or its side toward the workbeing to the left in Fig. 1. As well understood, the turret when in useis subjected to strains substantially in the direction of the arrow e,Fig. l, due to the pressure of the tool against the work. There isconsequently present a tendency to tilt or deflect the turret backwarddue to such strains which must be resisted by the transverse mountingsof the turret on the carriage, and unless effectually overcome thistilting or deflection of the turret becomes a serious defect in thisclass of lathes. As more clearly shown in Fig. l, the bottom slide B is.connected to the carriage A at a plurality of widely separated points,that toward the front or work side of the turret being a rightangle-bearing, so that the tilting or deiecting strains are directly'resisted by IOO IIO

the bottom slide B is connected to the carriage b y the transversedovetail bearing A, and disposed in front of said dovetail bearingA/vthat is, to the side thereof toward the operating tool or workby theright-angle gib-bearing, designated as a whole by reference-letter A?.Thus the right-angle gibbearing r 2, being located substantially beneaththe working-tool to one side of the dovetail bearing A and acting indirect opposition to the strains, efi'ectually prevents any upward liftof the turret at a point most effectual in overcoming any backward tiltor deflection of the upper part of the turret, and a pluralitjT oftransverse bearings are provided which cooperate in distributing thetilting or deliecting strains over a wide base7 as will be readilyunderstood.

The dovetail bearing A is adjusted to an accurate lit by means of ataper-gib a, suitably held to position by any usual means, as the screwa', so that bodily movement of the turret backward from the work underthe strain of the working-tool is overcome.

The right-angle gib-bearing A2 preferably comprises an inverted-L-shapedprojection a2, formed on the carriage A and extending transverselythereof, a gib afl being' suitably secured to the projecting lip a* ofthe bottom slide B and extending beneath the overhang ofthe projectiona?. rthe gib a extends transversely of the bottom slide, and thusaffords abroad and extended bearing against the under side of theprojection a?, giving the most advantageous resistance against anyupward lifting movement at that side of the turret and securing thewell-known advantages of a square gib.

lt will be noted in the present form of the invention that the dovetailbearing A/ is mainly located back of or to the rear of the vertical axisof the turret and that the rightangle gib-bearing A2 is disposed to thefront of such axis, thereby providing a plurality of widely separatedbearing portions between the carriage and the turret-slide calculated toeffectually overcome any tilting or defiecting movement of the turret.It is evident of course that the particular details of structure andtheir exact disposition with respect to each other and the axis of theturret are not essential, but may be varied in securing the pluralnumber of separate transverse bearings for the turret, whereby theobjections hereinbefore indicated are overcome, and any usual means maybe employed to move or adjust the turret-slide transversely of thecarriage, as generally indicated at A, Fig. l.

Projecting upward from the bottom slide B is the tapering spindle or pinD, the lower portion of which is preferably cylindrical and firmlysecured in the said slide B. Rotatably mounted upon the tapering spindleD is the turret-block C, bored to receive a tapering bush c, whichlatter is adjustably held in position by means of the adjusting-screws cand the jam-nut c2. From this construction itwill be seen that anaccurate lit of the bush and tapering spindle D can at all times bemaintained and the bush adjusted to take up wear, whereby theturret-block may at all times be maintained in accurate position withrespect to its vertical axis and all lost motion be prevented. The upperportion of the tapering spindle is providedwith a suitable device forholding the turret-block down upon the spindle, and in the presentinstance such device comprises the screw-threads 03 and nut 0*; but suchdetails may obviously be varied without departing from the spirit of theinvention. As an additional means for restraining the turret-block C inproper position upon the spindle D the upper end of said spindle isreduced in diameter, and over it is placed a holding-cap D', the latterbeing forced downward upon the block by means of a suitable handle D,having a hub D3 in suitable screwthread connection with the reduced endof the spindle.

lt is essential when the turret has been turned or adjusted with thetool in position that it be locked securely and that no lost rotarymotion be permitted by the locking instrumentalities. To this end thelower surface or bottom of the turretblock C has secured thereto insuitable manner a steel locking-ring E, which enters asuitable circularslot E', formed in the bottom slide B, and has a series of recesses e ccorresponding to the faces of the turret, as will be understood by oneskilled in the art. Disposed substantially radial of the turret-slide Bis the locking-plunger F, having' a slot or recess f formed between itsends, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5, said slot being of sufficientsize to permit the locking-ring .E to move freely through it when thelocking-plunger is withdrawn to bring said slot or recess in registertherewith. One end wall f' of the slot is formed to fit the series ofrecesses c e in the locking-ring, said recesses and wallf' beingpreferably somewhat beveled to form a close fit without play or lostmotion. It will be noted in this connection, Figs. 2 and 3, that thelocking-plung'er F has a bearing in the bottom slide B on both sides ofthe lockingring at :u and y, so that said plunger is guided and steadiedat both sides of the locking-ring and fixedly held at these points whenin locking engagement with the ring.

Secured to the inner end of the lockingplunger is a pin r, which extendsthrough the spindle D, the bottom slide being vcounterbored on the sideopposite the locking-plunger to accommodate a spring 72 disposed aboutthe pin g and between a compression-nut t, screw-threaded to the end ofsaid pin g and the inner end It of the counterbore. Thus IOO the normalforce of the spring is exerted to draw the locking-plunger inward intolocking engagement with the locking-ring, and said spring is alsoentirely covered and out of the way of other parts.

Mounted on a stud e', secured to the bottom slide, isa withdrawinghandle I, which is connected by asuitable pin to the outer end of thelocking-plunger F, whereby the lockingplunger may be withdrawn fromlocking engagement with the locking-ring E against the tension of thespring' t. l/Vhen the lockingplunger is thus withdrawn, the end thereotlwill bear upon the outer surface of the ring until the next recess ecomes opposite the end ot' said locking-plunger, at which time thespring /t will cause the engagement of the locking-plunger with saidrecess.

As hereinbet'ore pointed out, it is desirable that there should be nolost motion between any of the parts of the locking instrumentalities,`and we have therefore disposed alongside of the locking-plunger in asuitable recess formed in the bottom slide a tapering gib j, which aswear takes place between the locking-slide and its bearings may beadjusted to take up all lost motion. Itis of importance also that thelocking-plunger shall have bearing-points on the opposite sides ot' thelocking-ring, as shown at and y, Fig. 3, as thereby all liability ofspring or give in the substance of the locking-plunger is overcome, andthe said plunger is held in fixed relation with the bottoni slide andlocking-ring.

rIhe operation of the device will be readily understood by those skilledin the art from the above description. The turret-block being inposition, it is only necessary to release the cap D by turning thehandle D2, then withdrawing the locking-plunger by means of the handleI, whereupon the turret-block may be turned in the desired positionuntil the locking-plunger can engage the recesses in the locking-ring,whereupon by setting up on the handle D2 the turret-block is clamped inits position for use. Should the wear between the tapering spindle D andthe turret-block C be appreciable, it is only necessary to adjust thetapering bush C to accommodate any condition and take up all lostmotion.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. In a turret-lathe, the combination of a carriage, aturret movabletransversely of said carriag'e, a transverse dovetail bearing connectingthe turret and carriage at the rear of a transverse vertical planepassing through the axis of the turret, and a right-angle gibbearingconnecting the turret and carriage and disposed in front of saidtransverse vertical plane passing through the axis of the turret toprevent any backward tilt to the turret due to the strain of thecutting-tool.

2. In a turret-lathe, the combination of a carriage, a turret mountedthereon, a transverse dovetail bearing connecting the turret andcarriage in the rear of a transverse vertical plane passing through theaxis of the turret, said carriage being provided in front of saidtransverse vertical plane with an inverted-L-shaped projection, theturret having a lip extending in front of said projection, and aright-angle gib secured to said lip and extending beneath the overhangof said inverted-L-shaped projection.

3. In a turret-lathe, the combination of the turret-spindle, the bottomslide provided with a circular slot, the turret-block mounted to turn onsaid spindle and slide and having a locking-ring projecting into andfitting said circular slot, said ring in the portion thereor1 within thecircular slot being provided with a series of beveled or taperingrecesses, a locking-plunger having a bearing in the bottom slide on eachside of the circular slot, said plunger having a beveled or taperingwall to enter the reversely beveled or tapered recesses in thelocking-ring, a pin secured to the end of the locking-plunger passingthrough and guided by the turret-spindle, and a spring wholly inclosedwithin the bottom slide and connected to said pin, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof we ax our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

Vitnesses:

FRED. LE BLOND, CLARENCE Elon.

